Wooster City Council Candidates
Are Questioned About Growth

Published: October 29, 1999 12:00AM

Incumbent City Council member Anne O'Planick, R-Ward 3, and her opponent, Democrat Jim Perley, fielded questions Thursday night about city growth, council members' character attacks on one another, the rumored sale of Wooster Community Hospital and the city's income tax.

Nine candidates for city and county offices and for the Wooster City Schools Board of Education gathered at Edgewood Middle School to answer questions at the candidates' night sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Wayne County and the American Association of University Women.

The event will air on cable Channel 22 today, Saturday and Monday at noon and 5:30 p.m.

"I would like to see Wooster continue to thrive, but with careful planning," Perley said. "There needs to be more green spaces in the city and the current (apartment) development at Melrose and Milltown does not have any green spaces planned."

He also claimed that there has been a failure to plan in the city and any planning that does occur is more reactive than proactive.

"Growth in the city needs to be more directed," O'Planick said. She said that she is not in favor of the current development planned for Melrose and Milltown and that city zoning regulations are not strict enough to control the development.

"There have been many rapid changes due to the accelerated growth in the city," O'Planick said.

Both Ward 3 candidates agreed that members should not attack each other personally at council meetings.

"Attacks are inappropriate," O'Planick said. "We are all professionals and should understand we have a job to do."

"We can disagree but with an underlying sense of respect for each other," Perley said.

Neither candidate was in favor of selling the hospital and both said that they consider it a very important part of the community.

Perley said he does not favor taxing people who work outside the city but live in Wooster.

O'Planick said she did not support the proposal to tax residents' income earned outside the city when it came before council.

She said that this is not an issue that can be fixed at the local level but is a matter for the state to fix.

Councilmen James Hodges, D-Ward 1, and Bob Breneman, R-at large, council President Gary Thompson and Mayor James Howey were asked about the lack of public transportation for senior citizens, handicapped persons and low-income families.

All four said the bus system used in the past was not a feasible option because of the loss of federal subsidies to help fund the program.

Hodges said he would like to see a county-wide transportation system like those in several surrounding counties. All agreed that this is an issue that has no easy solution.

The four were also asked about increasing fees for park usage, classes and programs. All four agreed that current fees are adequate and there is no need for an increase at this time.

The consensus was that the current fee schedule allows for more people to participate in programs offered by the Parks and Recreation Department.

When asked about the income tax issue, all four candidates supported the income tax issue that was on the ballot last November.

"It is foolish not to support your hometown," Breneman said.

School board incumbent Judith Thomas and candidate David Spector were asked about the district's enrichment program and improving communication between teachers and parents.

Thomas is unopposed for re-election and Spector is unopposed in seeking the seat to be vacated by veteran board member Rick Lowe.

There should be a system in place for parents to utilize when they contact teachers, Spector said. "It may be a matter of educating people about who to call if there is a problem."

"There is only a finite amount of money available for the schools and we are looking at goals for the next two years and will review the enrichment program with these goals," Thomas said, answering concerns about enrichment program cuts.

Judge William D. Evans Jr. responded to questions about the number of people who are sent to out-of-county jails instead of being sent to the new pay-to-stay misdemeanor offender facility on South Street.

"That facility is a minimum security facility," Evans said. "If the person has a history of violence, like resisting arrest, they will not be housed at that facility."